I have always wanted to catch flathead. Any advice on how to target them would be greatly appreciated. I have a boat that stays on tawokoni and would love to find some big flatheads.

What structure to look for? What bait to use? I've heard full moon nights work best but have no idea. If I wanted to trotline how heavy should I build it? I have also been told goldfish, live bream but I read somewhere that a study said the flathead catfish main diet consists of bullhead (mudcats).

At least 2 big ones that I know of were caught on juglines at Ray Hubbard this weekend using live perch. One was 80 lbs and the other was 60 something I think. Sorry, I don't know what depth they were set at. I've heard the deal about bullheads being good but I do know for a fact they will eat up a live sunfish. THe big ones will chow down on a hand sized one just fine.

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Originally Posted By: roadtrip

In the south, pretty much any fish that doesn't get bigger than a pound or so is called a perch. For some reason, this drives some people crazy.

Live perch are one of the best baits for them and are one of the easiest baits to get. Other baits that work are live carp, goldfish, drum, shad, and bullheads. For flatheads I always look for areas with lots of cover, trees, tires, big rocks, etc. with maybe a creek channel near by.

Several things here. First off, is to key in on the YC (YellowCat) days & the PYC days (Prime YellowCat) on my Catfish Calendar & supplements as to when best to go after them. If you are running lines, then you want to keep them baited just ahead of these days on into these days. As for Full Moon, I have found they bite a little later than normal on these days. Talking about 3 to 6 hours later. See the thread "Lynn's Catfish Calendar".

My best bait for Yellows are perch, small to fair size. I have not caught any on MudCats (Bullheads) to date. Carp, especially black carp are also good, but don't compare to perch, as for me.

As to where, not knowing Tawokoni, all I can say is to what you nood to look for. Yes, creek channels are good as they will usually run a channel. Yellows tend to run the same paths. Around stumps or under brush tend to become apartments & regions to them. Catch one over 35# & eventually another moves in to to take over as the next tenant. Catch a few 30# & larger ones, then you may have found a region or a path many of them travel. The smaller ones tend to roam much farther, but the bigger ones tend to run the same paths & areas.

If you have your bait just off the bottom & one is running its path, it can literally vacuum in your bait as it comes thru.

my son went down to still house lake with his friends and it is not really known for its cats and were was bank fishing he pick up 3 15in flat head he let them go he has the pics on his phone as he did not know what kind of cat fish they were they were caught on rattle traps i have only gaught a few my self and they were all caught using green zoom liards while bass fishing as well they were not monsters

I just caught a nice size Flat, last weekend at Lewisville, on Live Perch. had my jugs in 5-7 FOW, and caught several blues, but was the first Flat I had caught on my jugs ever, I normally do not fish this shallow, but heard they would be there so that is where I put them, I made special jugs, (Short) just for this. I would say Caution, if fishing this shallow, I have a Jon Boat, and can get in very shallow water, but would NOT bring my normal boat in these areas. . Good luck.